Several libraries in Contra Costa County are in various stages of opening a new or renovated facility. Here’s a rundown of cities where libraries are either planned or just completed or where efforts are being made to open a new library.

Brentwood: The old Brentwood Library was torn down in February, and construction of the new building will begin in May. The 20,000-square-foot building, located where the old and adjacent buildings stood, is scheduled to be completed by July 2018. This project is funded by the city of Brentwood, with the Brentwood Library Foundation raising funds for enhanced features.

Oakley: Oakley’s parcel tax measure last November did not pass. The city of Oakley remains committed to the goal of a new library and will continue to re-evaluate options and ideas with the community. While the existing Oakley Community Library is still inadequate, the city and county library system will continue to make the most of the current situation and work around constraints.

El Cerrito: The bond measure on last November’s ballot did not pass, but the “El Cerrito Library is determined to grow,” according to Manager Heidi Goldstein. “We are redoubling our efforts, enlarging our reach, hoping to determine a great location with leadership from the city, and anticipate being on the ballot in 2020.”

Pleasant Hill: The city of Pleasant Hill just pinned down a final site at 1700 Oak Park Blvd. (across the street) and issued its RFP to recruit an architect by this summer. The opening of a proposed 25,000-square-foot facility is looking like 2021. Funding was secured through a half-cent sales tax when Measure K passed with a supermajority last November.

San Pablo: The new San Pablo Library will be opening at the end of July 2017. The new facility will be 22,000 square feet and will feature 10,000 new items. The current 7,500-square-foot facility will be closing for two weeks at the end of June for the move. The new facility is funded by the city of San Pablo, and the architect is Group 4, based in South San Francisco.
San Ramon: San Ramon Library reopened on Saturday, April 15, 2017. Over 4,000 people attended the Grand Opening celebration. The library had been closed for 20 months for renovation and expansion. The project added 3,100 square feet by expanding the second floor, and another 3,200 square feet of underutilized space was repurposed to more effectively meet public needs. The renovation cost $6.48 million, paid for by the city of San Ramon, with enhanced features purchased by the San Ramon Library Foundation.

California state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, introduced new legislation (SCA-3) in January that seeks to lower the vote threshold for the passage of local library construction bond projects from the current two-thirds local vote requirement to 55%. It is currently winding its way through the legislative process and could have an impact on communities seeking funding for new libraries if it passes.
MAY EVENTS AT EAST COUNTY LIBRARIES
Here’s a sampling of what’s up in East County libraries in May. Check out our website at ccclib.org/programs to get a full lineup, including storytimes, book clubs, computer help sessions and beading programs.

The downtown Antioch Library will host its regular ongoing storytimes on Thursdays at 10:30, Lego Builders Club on Saturdays at noon, and the monthly meetup of the Knitting and Crochet group, and mystery book club. Computer help is available Thursday afternoons. Join us for Free Comic Book Day, Saturday, May 6. All children ages 10 and up will receive a free comic book when they visit the library between noon and 3 p.m. We’ll also have Legos that light up, super marble run maze creation, a drawing/coloring station, a play dough center and board games.

Dress up as your favorite character and meet with our cosplayers! If you’re looking for inner peace, look no further! Dr. Marshall Zaslove will present an introduction to accurate meditation on Tuesday, May 9 from 6-8 p.m. Python Ron will be in town on Tuesday, May 23 at 3:30 with his scaly, reptilian friends in a free program for all ages.

Down the road, at the Antioch/Prewett Community Center Library in Antioch, you’ll find weekly storytimes for babies and toddlers on Fridays at noon, and for children ages 3-5 on Fridays at 1 p.m. Computer help is provided every day they’re open — check times at ccclib.org/programs.
Homework Help is what’s up at the Bay Point Library, with sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoon every week. Kids can come in on Thursday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. to make a craft or color.

Adults can register for an English-At-Home or Citizenship-At-Home course on Thursdays between 4:30 and 6:15 p.m., where you’ll check out a DVD and receive free homework units, watch the DVD and complete the lessons and test at home, and meet with the teacher at least twice a month to review your work and answer your questions.

The Brentwood Library continues to provide programs at the Brentwood Community Center, including storytimes on Thursday mornings at 10:30 and 11 a.m., with a session break starting May 18. We host a monthly book club on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m., a beading workshop on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. and pajama storytime the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Make some new scaly and multilegged friends with Python Ron on Tuesday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m. Come see lizards, snakes, tarantulas and more. In the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St.

The Oakley Library, which is located on the Freedom High School campus, offers storytimes on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. There is a weekly Lego Creators Club on Saturdays from 3-4:30 p.m. Teens can make new friends, eat snacks, play games, watch movies or make crafts on Fridays from 3:30-5 p.m. as part of the library’s Teen Haven program. They host a monthly beading program the third Wednesday evening of the month at 6:30 p.m. and are offering a Kindergarten Countdown program on Tuesday, May 9 from 10:30-11:15 a.m. The program is designed to help your children learn and practice skills that will help them get ready for kindergarten.

Kids 3 and up are invited to the Pittsburg Library for Activity Afternoons on Wednesdays at 3 or Saturdays at 1 p.m. Storytimes for the preschool crowd are held Wednesday mornings at 10:30 and Friday mornings at 11:15 for babies and toddlers. Kids can get Homework Help on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4-5 p.m. They will host a Kindergarten Countdown program on Saturday, May 6 from 11:30-noon. The program is designed to help your children learn and practice skills that will help them get ready for kindergarten.

With lower home prices, more Californians could afford a home purchase in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the previous quarter, but the California Association of Realtors reports higher interest rates lowered affordability from the previous year for most counties.